Anybody know a source for open-cell foam spider bodies?

[Walt Foreman]

I'm wanting to make some sinking sponge-rubber spiders for fly fishing, and have looked high and low online and can't find anywhere that sells them.  Anybody know a source?

[Lee]

 I cut my own from foam sheets but there availible here also: https://www.madriveroutfitters.com/p-565-sponge-spiderant-bodies.aspx

 It just hit me that you want SINKING bodies, thats a whole nother ball of foam! The old foam used by many to make spiders was open cell and would sink this newer foam stays floating forever. I'll check around.

[Walt Foreman]

That's closed-cell foam, which floats.  Open-cell foam looks like volcanic rock with lots of little pits in it, and those pits are what allows it to absorb water and sink.  It used to be common, used to be able to get it anywhere that had closed-cell, but I haven't been able to find it.

[Walt Foreman]

Sorry, read your post quickly and missed the last part!

[Rex Robinson]

Walt,  I often tie foam spiders with sheets of 2mm foam from the craft store and wrap the hook shank with lead if I want them to sink. You can adjust the fall rate by how much you use and sometime that makes a big difference. Did find some dish towels once that were made of a water absorbing foam that I cut strips from that worked good.  Chenille makes a good water absorbing spider body also.

[Rick King]

Rex - never thought of using Chenille for spider bodies, great idea. I also have been using 2mm foam with lead wire. I have been looking for lead stikyiback tape to cut into strips to try. Do you know a soruce for it? thx Rick

[jim cosgrove]

i get lead tape from a shop that makes and regrips golf clubs.some also carry tungsten powder which can be mixed in with epoxy to make a weighted coating

[JBplusThuy]

I googled open cell foam and found that various products are made from it. You could buy an open cell pad, but you'd have to cut your own bodies from it. Better than nothing, I guess, but less than ideal.

Jonathan

[Walt Foreman]

Thanks for the ideas, guys.  I had considered Rex's idea, but was really hoping to find a way to make them out of open-cell.  I may try getting some from a craft store.

[Tony Livingston]

Walt, I got nothing for you on the foam ideas, but having been married to a crafter for 23 years I might still be of some help.

If you'll tell me the name of the craft store where you intend to get the foam, I'm sure my wife will know what aisle it's on, what colors it comes in, how large a quantity you're gonna' need, what it's going to cost, AND......probably has a coupon for 40% off...

[Rick King]

any luck finding open cell foam Walt?

[Bill Purmort]

I think I would tie them with yarn bodies...a couple wraps at each end of the hook shank and add the legs in the middle...should sink fairly well

[Suzanne Lazar]

I'm not sure what sort of material you want, but what about cellulose sponges for dishwashing? You could give them a dunk and a squeeze before fishing and they'd probably sink.

-Or maybe those 3M Scotchbrite scrubbers? They used to have something similar, also by 3M, made out of plastic (a steel wool substitute). The white ones had no abrasive coating.